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Noel 2008
Now I know this year has missed at least 4 months. Either that or
I’m suffering memory loss. My femur is OK. `No more broken bones, as yet. I started the
year with no work and ended up with lots of work. I found Jo Rose on
the internet and we are now running HORSE-LISTENING workshops, using
much of the horse knowledge I have collected throughout my life.
Which is beginning to look a bit longer than before. I also do a bit of this and that mostly with horses. The
Museum of the Horse website is coming together finally and next we
will set up a trust to give the UK a museum of the horse. I still
have Smelly. Or he still has me. I’m not sure which. As I write the
temperature slumps to an evil low. The Downs are white. The sun
sinks bleeding into the side of the world. I slide on the ice.
This year I joined up with two other people to establish a
Storytelling evening. The Three Heads in Well, is going strong with
some wonderful storytelling. We meet every last Friday in the month
in Ewell at St Michael’s Sanctuary. Alex and Janet and I are the
hosts and invite tellers and listeners to join us. We have a
professional storyteller joining us January 30 to tell the King Arthur legends. It’s only £5 do
come and join us. Details on
JanetTells@gmail.com
Glastonbury was a blast. I think after so many years I’m
finally getting the hang of it. Leonard Cohen was the No 1
attraction for me on the Saturday night. I wandered out towards the
main stage and got a good view of the screens and the stage. Nothing
was happening. Then suddenly a man with a trilby and a neat suit
bent over a microphone began singing. Marianne. His golden voice
filled the air. I was mesmerized. He then sang ‘Democracy, and ‘I’m
your Man’. That was it I was spellbound. His delivery, his charisma,
his eloquence, his poetry, the backing vocals all were superb and
the musical arrangements left one gasping. I was hooked. I rolled
back to the bus and told them all I had just been undressed by
Leonard Cohen. I wish! I loved the Tower of Song, “My friends are
gone my hair is grey, I ache in places where I used to play,”~His poetry is astounding. Thank god his agent pissed off
with all his money, how great to have him back singing in public
again. Hey it’s an ill wind! Which brings me back to more sober
matters. The economy. Well by all accounts the only way out of a
recession is to spend money. So if the banks would like to lend me
some money I’ll be happy to oblige. Roosevelt got the USA out of the
30’s depression by applying this logic and Gordon Brown thinks he
can too. I guess it’s a nightmare for people with their savings in
Icelandic banks, did they not realize their assets might freeze!
As for us bailing out the banks I had not thought of ships
and banks being in the same category, you know things you pour money
into and then they sink. Well I’m OK I haven’t got any money. So
sucks to all those silly people who thought they could invest their
money with a man with a name like MadeOFF!
It amazes me. “Oh I’ve just
invested 200,000 with Mr Madeoff! Well at least I got 10% for two
weeks.”
What we need is another Seabiscuit! For those of you who
weren’t around in the 1930’s, he was a horse. You can look him up on
U Tube. We need to gamble. I have a friend who has a racehorse, but
I’m going to keep his name secret just in case you get your money on
first. He’s already won three races. So here is some advice for 2009. Go to Glastonbury. Mud
is good for you. Eat, drink and be merry because that is what Gordon
Brown wants us to do to beat the recession. Buy a racehorse, it is
fractionally cheaper than putting your money into an Icelandic bank.
Don’t get depressed life is full of opportunities, said the spider
to the fly. Just be grateful you don’t live in Gaza or Zimbabwe. Buy
a lottery ticket because you can’t win the lottery unless you do. I
won £10 on the lottery this year. I am still £5 in credit. Play any
Leonard Cohen. He smiles as he sings and, watching him you realize
that what you thought was depressing is just his way of laughing at
the world.
Here’s to you and wishing you a year of good luck in this
land of opportunity while other people are immersed in negative
publicity. I hope that health and wealth stays with us and that we
look look back on 2009 and say, “hey it wasn’t that bad.”
By Caroline Baldock
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